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Published: November 27th 2008
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BORA BORA
There isn’t much I can add to what has been said about this island. It is spectacularly beautiful. Mt. Otemanu dominates the view. There is one pass through the reef and we cruise into the lagoon at noon. The lagoon is a palette of blues and greens. The deep water where we anchor is cobalt blue. Then deep aqua, light aqua, turquoise, baby blue, blue green all the colors and shades of the blue/green colors are there.
Our tours were arranged in advance but when we arrived on the dock, we found out that they had been cancelled since I had not responded to their e-mails. I can only guess that their e-mails went into my spam mailbox and I deleted them. Mieva worked her phones (two) and managed to get us on the 4 x 4 safari we had booked. We missed part of the tour but once we were away from the obligatory pearl farm our new friend Frank took us up the most rugged, rutted, rocky roads to the top of hills to see the incredible views. As we drove around the island he told us about island life, the ancient culture and named each
and every hotel, old and new, that now rings the lagoon.
Our second day was to include an all day snorkel and picnic but because of the foul up there was no more room. Instead Nadine and Priscilla worked the phones and we were given a private half-day trip where we watched the shark feeding, swam with and petted the stingrays and snorkeled in the coral garden. The highlight was my spotting a huge green moray eel resting in and under the coral. Usually it’s Joe that finds the interesting critters. This was the first one that I spotted first.
After a motor to a motu for a swim and yum yum (delicious watermelon, cantaloupe, papaya and coconut), we completed the circle of the island and returned to the pier around noon. Everything worked out perfectly. We had time to go to Bloody Mary’s, a Bora Bora institution, for drinks. I also picked up a couple of tee shirts as my old one was beginning to fray.
The day was perfect. An all day tour in the blinding sun would have been too much and my original plan to visit Bloody Mary’s after the safari tour would not have worked
because it was Sunday and Bloody Mary’s was closed. This way we were able to enjoy everything as planned and had a private boat to boot.
The local lads have developed a new sport; riding the tender wake. The paddle their canoes or outrigger into the wake, like catching a wave, and ride until the tender slows dock at the pier or at the tender station. Then they catch a tender going the other way. It takes a couple of minutes of strenuous paddling to result in an effortless ride. Great fun!
It’s always fun to people watch on formal nights. There were many gentlemen in tuxes and ladies in gowns as well as men in suits and ladies in fancy pants outfits. As always there were one or two who just refuse to dress up for whatever reason. To each, his or her own. I personally enjoy the parade and hope formal nights will continue.
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